Sword Burst 5th Edition for D&D

In a moment, you have created a spectral blade circle around you. Every creature within range, excluding you, must succeed on a dexterity saving throw, or else take 1d6 force damage.

Basically, this sword burst spell’s damage will increase by 1d6 whenever you reach the 5th level (2d6), at the 11th level (3d6), and at the 17th level (4d6).

Spells that require you to make an attack roll have a doubled range; however, sword burst requires targets to make Dexterity saving throws, so Spell Sniper does not apply.

Sword Burst 5E

  • Duration: 1 action
  • Distance: 5 feet
  • Type: V
  • Time: Instantaneous
  • Scaling: Yes
  • Casters: Arcane Trickster, Eldritch Knight, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

This is typically deliberate wording. The differences are very specific:

  • Thunderclap and sword burst both require Constitution saves, while thunderclap requires Dexterity saves
  • Thunderclap deals thunder damage, while sword burst deals force damage
  • The thunderclap only has a somatic component, while the sword burst has a verbal component

For example, sword burst is stopped by a silence spell, but thunderclap is unaffected in damage while the limitation thereon (“can be heard 100 feet away”) is nullified.

Other than that, I even have no issues with the build. He’s basically making a sorcerer try to to a simpler cantrip as a “One Trick Pony;” since using this “One Trick” requires his sorcerer to be within the thick of the melee, it’s got its own limitations built right in.
In reference to sword burst and therefore the sorcerer’s distance spell ability, its difficult to mention whether the range wording is intentional but I’d probably suggest not because it seems too specific. So theoretically a sorcerer could apply Meta magic distance to extend the range of the spell and during this particular case that might also increase the world of effect. However, what you’ll rule is that the circle of blades is more sort of a ring of blades (which is what the outline implies) then it might not affect the immediate area around the caster. I feel I might do this if this came up as having a roughly 25′ diameter burst with the caster safely within the middle is perhaps a touch good for a cantrip even when employing a sorcery point.

As we discussed, if you employ a roll to hit spell and miss, then you waste a spell slot. Meaning that attempting to hit twice would waste two spell slots, and remains not guaranteed. As this is often mainly a spellcaster cantrip, that’s what it might most frequently be used for.

You can use it to repel people that surround you through an AoE spell. Cantrip is a really good multi-hit ability, but it doesn’t benefit other classes much. Due to its average damage of 3.5, this makes it an excellent choice for killing the foremost minions of minions, such as Stirges. We give it a C for situational effectiveness. There are numerous good cantrips out there, but this one is not terrible. All of them serve the same purpose.

Definitely not great, but it has a lot of potential. The thing is, if you’re playing a caster (or even an Arcane Trickster), you don’t want to be in a position where Sword Burst is sweet in the first place. This would be useful for an Eldritch Knight.

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